HILO, Hawai'i – KTA Super Stores Spotlight features Hawai'i Hilo Baseball first-year senior Evan Merz, a native of Oakley, California who has brought a big bat to the Vulcans lineup so far this season.
Merz arrived to the Big Island last fall after having spent time at Diablo Valley College and Sonoma State University — the latter of which cut its athletics program at the end of the 2024-25 school year.
Through 18 games, Merz leads the Vulcans with 19 hits, six multi-hit outings, three home runs (two grand slams), six doubles, 13 RBI (tied), 34 total bases, 15 runs scored and 15 walks. Merz has also come up clutch with a two-RBI game-winning double in a 14-12 win over Biola (March 5) and a walk-off double in the bottom of the 10th for a 5-4 win over Vanguard (March 10).
EVAN MERZ
- Major: Sociology
- Class: Senior
- Position: Outfield / Designated Hitter
- Hometown: Oakley, California
- Spent one season at Sonoma State University (California)
- Spent two seasons at Diablo Valley College (California)
- 2022 graduate of Freedom High School (California)
- Career Aspirations: Law Enforcement, Investigations
- Hobbies: Golf, Hiking, Guitar
- Sports Moment: "Walked it off in Cooperstown to win it."
- Sports Teams: SF Giants, 49ers, Warriors
- Athlete: Buster Posey
- Movie: Pulp Fiction
- Shows: Suits
Battling through struggles at the plate:
"Just having the inverse thinking of, like, 'I need to get a hit really bad right now' and just going in and being like, 'What happens, happens.' Just trying to see the baseball better and stop pressing to get the result. Be less outcome-oriented; more process-oriented."
Sonoma State cutting athletics last year:
"Getting the news right before our season started — it wasn't too tough on me, to be honest. It just felt like another year of JUCO. It was unfortunate. I liked my team at Sonoma. I liked my coach a lot, but clearly that wasn't the path for me. Now I'm here, and I'm just thankful for God for putting me on this path because I'm really enjoying my stay here at UH Hilo."
Journey to Hawai'i Hilo:
"It's my fourth year — being in JUCO and then being at another D-II — this program's been great. Coach Yuks is great. All the coaches are great. I've had a really good year so far at Hilo."
"They were one of the few programs that showed me a good amount of interest. But coming down to it, I wanted to experience the Hawaiian culture and just experience something different. I grew up in California my whole life — Sonoma State was only an hour and a half from my hometown. I love the culture out here. It's awesome."
KTA SUPER STORES
KTA Super Stores, founded in 1916 in Hilo, is a family‑owned grocery chain with eight locations across Hawai'i Island. For over 100 years, KTA Super Stores has been committed to their founder's philosophy: a commitment to humbly serve the people of their community.
